


take me back to the start

by catsinouterspace



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Reasons Why They Never Waited, angst but cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-06 10:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20290213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsinouterspace/pseuds/catsinouterspace
Summary: “I would have come with you.” The words hung in the air, floating between the two teenagers, both lying upon the forest floor, miles out from the Leaf.





	take me back to the start

**Author's Note:**

  * For [heartbeatstumbles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartbeatstumbles/gifts).

“I would have come with you.” The words hung in the air, floating between the two teenagers, both lying upon the forest floor, miles out from the Leaf.

“The future Hokage doesn’t go on revenge missions.” Sasuke finally replied after an eternity of time had passed between them. 

Naruto’s lip quirked up at the mention of his, still to be realised, future occupation. “They don’t chase after deserters either.”

Sasuke didn’t reply and the silence of the night felt like a blanket being thrown over them, slowly growing heavier and heavier until it felt like they were being suffocated.

“I could have helped you.”

Sasuke inhaled through his nose, “If you’d come with me you wouldn’t be half the ninja you are.”

“You could have waited.”

“Naruto I needed to-“

“You trained with Orochimaru for years before going after Itachi!” Naruto cut him off, jerking upright into a sitting position, crossing his legs in front of him.

Sasuke reluctantly sat up to, sitting cross legged in front of Naruto so their knees brushed against each other. “Naruto, you know I…” Sasuke pursed his lips trying to find the right words, “…care for you. But back then, I, I needed to kill Itachi, it was all that mattered to me, I couldn’t stop to think about anything else.” Sasuke hesitated for a moment, “I couldn’t let anyone get in my way.”

Naruto stared at the ground, refusing to look at Sasuke, “I wouldn’t have gotten in your way.” He mumbled. 

Sasuke didn’t want to mention that Naruto hadn’t exactly been a naturally gifted shinobi and probably would have. 

“Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Sasuke reached forward grabbing Naruto’s hand, “I’m here now.” He let the _isn’t that enough? _hang between them unspoken.

“I-,” Naruto used his other hand to wipe at his eyes, which were beginning to prickle with tears, Sasuke’s stomach rolled anxiously, he still wasn’t sure how to handle the other boy’s emotions, especially when he was the cause of them. “I missed you. You were my best friend.” 

Sasuke squeezed Naruto’s hand in what he hoped was a comforting manner, “You seem to have made plenty of friends in the meantime.”

It was the wrong thing to say.

Naruto yanked his hand back. “Yeah, eventually.” He fiddled with the hem of his pants, “You know no one wanted to be friends with me.”

Sasuke sighed, they’d been polar opposites in that sense, Sasuke couldn’t seem to avoid the adoring attention of his class mates and Naruto couldn’t seem to get it. Sasuke leaned forward a bit, hooking his index finger under Naruto’s chin and resting his thumb on his cheek, he pulled the blond’s head up so his blue eyes met Sasuke’s. “We were a bunch of idiots for not realising how fantastic you were.”

Naruto snorted softly. “I really, _really _missed you.”

Sasuke offered him a soft smile, lips quirking upwards for half a second, “I really, _really _missed you too.”


End file.
